Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s04e10 Episode Script
Our Man Bashir
A lot of kick for a '45 Dom.
Thank you, Mister? Mister? Bashir.
Julian Bashir.
Who's that? An uninvited guest.
Excuse me.
Nice tux.
Thank you.
Now get out.
But, Doctor, I've only just arrived.
Breaking into a holosuite during someone's program is not only rude, it's illegal.
I should call Odo and have you arrested.
What an extreme reaction that would be.
You must be very embarrassed by this program.
I'm not embarrassed.
I'm annoyed that you have intruded into my privacy.
Oh, privacy, indeed.
I think it goes far deeper than that, Doctor.
Ever since you've received this new program, you've spent virtually every free hour in the holosuite.
But you haven't told anyone what the program is.
Am I supposed to? No, no.
No.
But you're such a-- forgive me-- a talkative man and it's so unusual for you to have secrets.
I must have picked up that habit from you.
Now, if you will excuse me.
Is this fantasy of yours truly revealing of your inner psyche? What? Is that why you're so protective? Are you afraid that I'll find out some humiliating secrets of the real Julian Bashir? This is a fantasy.
I'm not hiding anything.
Well, if you've nothing to hide, then why not let me stay? -All right.
-Ah.
Now, I have to be at work in two hours, and I'd like to enjoy myself.
So keep quiet and don't rain on my parade.
Parade?! Never mind.
Don't worry, Doctor.
I can be very discreet.
You'll barely know I'm here.
Good.
But if I may make one observation -Garak -I only want to point out that your lovely companion is leaving.
Odd.
She seemed so interested in your advances just a moment ago.
I wonder what scared her away.
Oh, no.
I do apologize.
You must be incensed.
In fact, if I were in your shoes I'd grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me.
I can see I'm going to regret this.
Don't worry, Doctor.
We're going to have a wonderful time.
After all, what could possibly go wrong? You live here? That's right.
Decorate it yourself? The decor is appropriate for the period-- 1964.
How did you pronounce the name of this city? Kowloon.
It's part of Hong Kong.
And the nightclub was in Paris which, if I remember correctly was on the other side of the planet.
Mr.
Bashir I didn't expect you home so soon.
I decided to leave Paris a little early.
Allow me to introduce my friend, Mr.
Garak.
Garak, this is my personal valet, Mona Luvsitt.
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Would you like to change into something more comfortable? Oh, that would be perfect.
Let's see if we can find Mr.
Garak something as well.
I'll see what I can do.
Would you like me to put this away? Please.
Care for a drink? Not just yet.
Is she your valet, or your personal assassin? Valet.
Mona's very capable.
She speaks seven languages has degrees in biology, chemistry, physics can fly anything from a jet to a helicopter and makes an excellent martini.
Cheers.
Is there anything else I can do for you? I'll let you know.
I take it your character is some kind of rich dilettante with a fascination for women and weapons.
Actually, my character is far more disreputable.
I'm a spy.
A spy? And you live here? Yes.
I work for one of the nation-states of this era, Great Britain which is battling various other nations in what is called the "Cold War.
" This apartment, my clothes, weapons, even my valet were provided to me by my government.
I think I joined the wrong intelligence service.
Orinoco to Deep Space 9.
This is Captain Sisko requesting landing clearance.
Welcome back, Captain.
You're cleared to set down on Landing Pad 3.
How was the conference? Informative, but I've got a ship full of tired officers here.
I think we'll all be happy to be in our own beds tonight.
I can imagine.
There's some message traffic from Starfleet Command for you to look at, but nothing Captain, there's some kind of power surge in the warp core.
Looks like a fluctuation in the plasma coils.
We'd better take the warp core off line.
I can't.
There's something wrong with the command control systems.
I'm completely locked out.
Magnetic interlocks are failing.
Warp core breach is imminent.
Eject the warp core.
The ejection system isn't responding.
Correction.
The ejection system is missing.
We've been sabotaged.
Ten seconds to warp core breach.
Orinoco, cut your impulse engines and drop your deflectors.
We're going to try to beam you out of there.
Acknowledged.
Cut main power.
I've locked on.
Energizing.
What happened? Captain Sisko's runabout exploded while I was trying to beam them back.
Some of the energy traveled back along the transporter beam and blew up the primary energizing coils.
Do we still have their patterns? Yes, they're in the buffer.
But the patterns will start to degrade if not used immediately.
We need to store the patterns somewhere.
No, this is more complicated than just an ordinary transporter pattern.
We're going to have to preserve all the neural signatures of everyone on that runabout.
Do you know how much memory it would take to save just one person's neural signature, much less five? I don't think we have any choice.
Computer, I need to store all data currently in the transporter pattern buffer.
Where can I save it? There is insufficient computer memory to save the data.
Pattern buffer is beginning to lose coherence.
The patterns will start to degrade any second now.
Computer, what if we wiped all computer memory in every system on the station, and then stored the patterns? That procedure has not been tested.
It cannot be predicted.
The buffer is depolarizing.
Computer, this is a command priority override.
Wipe all computer memory necessary in order to save the patterns from the buffer.
Authorization: Eddington- zero-six-five-alpha enabled.
Executing command override.
Tricorder.
The buffer's lost coherence.
The patterns are gone.
Did the computer save them in time? I think so, but I'm not sure where.
Thank you, my dear.
Yes, this should do nicely.
Although I'm not too sure about the collar.
It's perfect.
Oh? I'll have these cleaned right away.
Thank you.
Isn't this a rather ostentatious life for a spy? It's all part of my cover.
I'm posing as a wealthy jet-setter so I have to act like one.
Jet-setter? People of this era used to travel in Julian.
I must have fallen asleep.
Very funny.
Who else did you invite along with you today? Well, this wasn't my idea.
Major? Colonel, actually.
Colonel Anastasia Komananov, KGB.
Oh, Julian, I never thought I'd see you alive again.
Not after you fell out of that dirigible over lceland.
I had a parachute and there was a submarine there waiting for me.
But how did you know about that? Have you been downloading my holosuite program? Oh, Julian, you are not well.
Let's lie down.
I must say Major Kira's certainly throwing herself into the role, Doctor.
Nerys, please Who is this Major Nerys Kira? Kira Nerys, actually.
Perhaps this isn't Major Kira after all.
I'm beginning to think you're right.
Computer, restore the image of Colonel Komananov back to its original parameters.
Unable to comply.
The character parameters of Colonel Komananov are correct.
I'd say someone's been tampering with your program, Doctor.
Julian, we don't have time for games.
There is much to talk about.
Excuse me.
Computer, freeze program.
Unable to comply.
Computer control has been disrupted due to station-wide emergency.
Emergency? Bashir to Ops.
What's going on? We've got our hands full right now, Doctor.
Stand by.
Odo, wait.
Doctor, where are you and do you have access to a working computer console? I'm in Holosuite 3.
The program's running, but it won't comply with my commands.
The program is still running? I demand to know who you are talking to.
Julian, tell me! That sounded like Kira.
Not exactly.
Someone has replaced one of the characters with the image of Major Kira.
What's going on? Stay where you are, Doctor.
Keep the program running for now.
We'll get right back to you.
Julian, talk to me.
Tell me what is happening.
I'm not sure myself.
Ops to Bashir.
Doctor, whatever you do, don't end that program.
Why not? There's been a transporter accident.
We believe the holosuite memory core is holding the transporter patterns of five crew members.
If you stop the program, their patterns might be lost.
How could that happen? It's a long story but, at this moment, the patterns of Captain Sisko, Kira, Worf, Dax and O'Brien exist only in the holosuite database.
Don't leave the holosuite.
If you do, it might disrupt the holo-imaging array and right now, we can't take any chances.
You'll have to stay in there and keep the program running for now.
Understood.
We'll get back to you, Doctor.
Oh, Julian you are so tense.
It's been one of those days.
I wish I could relax you but I am here on business.
In the last 24 hours a series of earthquakes have struck cities from Vladivostok to New York.
Our seismologists have analyzed the earthquakes and have come to the conclusion that they are artificial.
So? That's not so difficult.
One only has to Garak.
Your friend seems to know something.
Believe me, he knows nothing.
If you say so.
Because of the global nature of this crisis my government and yours have decided to cooperate.
We will be working very closely.
I'm sure we will.
Our assignment is to find out who caused the earthquakes and what they want.
A rather vague assignment.
We do have one clue.
One of the world's leading seismologists Professor Honey Bare, has vanished.
We believe she has been kidnapped.
I didn't think she was your type.
You said she's been kidnapped? We think so.
She disappeared only a few hours before the first quake struck New York City.
Doctor, we're in the middle of an emergency.
Is this really the time to be playing games? Look.
Interesting.
If Honey Bare is killed, the computer will erase her character from its program.
Now, since the program thinks that Dax is Honey Bare The computer would actually be erasing Commander Dax's pattern.
Kira uh, Ana do you have any idea where Professor Bare is? She was last seen I'll be right with you, Mona.
Chief No.
It's Falcon.
Nice to see you, Mr.
Bashir.
Now I think we have a little unfinished business.
Surprised to see me, Mr.
Bashir? You could say that.
Well, you should use something a little more lethal than a champagne cork.
Something Iike this.
Wait.
Wait, please.
Let us have one last kiss.
Why not? I've always been a romantic at heart.
Earring.
All right, Bashir, that's enough.
Interesting jewelry.
I bought those for Anastasia last Christmas.
You're bleeding.
The holosuite safeties must be off.
Time to clip this bird's wings.
No! Nyet! What are you doing? We can't kill him.
Julian, what are you saying? He's been trying to kill you for nine years.
I wouldn't dismiss her idea so quickly, Doctor.
But that's Miles.
No, as you pointed out, he's Falcon-- a hired assassin who's going to do everything he can to kill you and without the holosuite safeties in place he may just do that.
Well, what do you want me to do-- kill him? I want you to stop treating this like a game where everything's going to turn out all right in the end.
Real spies have to make hard choices.
You want to save Dax? Fine, but you may not have the luxury of saving everyone.
Who is Dax? Eventually, you may have to let someone die.
I'll deal with that situation if and when it happens.
In the meantime, we have to find Dax.
Who is Dax? Ana, I promise I'll explain everything later.
Now, you said Professor Bare had been kidnapped.
Do you have any suspects? We believe that Dr.
Noah is behind the abductions.
During the last two years, he has kidnapped an elite group of 60 artisans and scientists from around the world.
No one knows why or where he has taken them but our sources tell us that each of the missing peoples was invited to meet Dr.
Noah at a club in Paris shortly before they disappeared.
The Club lngenue.
Da.
I had a feeling.
Sorry, my dear.
I hope you remember how to tie a bow tie.
We're going to Paris.
Who is Dax?! I've had to make a few modifications to this holosuite over the years.
A few? It's like a junkyard in here.
My brother won't let me buy new components so I've had to scavenge for what I need.
I'm barely breaking even on the holosuites as it is.
If I had to buy new equipment every time there was a glitch Where's the core memory interface? Oh it's right behind the spatula.
The spatula? It's made of a copper-ytterbium composite-- the perfect plasma conductor.
I found them.
All five of their physical patterns are in here and they're stable.
Why here? The holosuite is specifically designed to store highly complex energy patterns.
The computer's processing their physical patterns as if they were holosuite characters.
The trouble is I'm not reading any neural energy.
Neural energy has to be stored at the quantum level.
The holosuite can't handle that.
So, if their physical bodies are stored here where are their brain patterns? Everywhere else.
Their brain patterns are so large that they're taking up every bit of computer memory on the station-- replicator memory, weapons, life supports.
He may be right.
So what do we do about it? How do we get them back? Uh, I'd like to see Dr.
Noah.
I have an invitation.
May I see your invitation? Dr.
Noah? I am Duchamps.
I am Dr.
Noah's associate.
May l? My name's Merriweather-- Patrick Merriweather, and this is my wife Anastasia, and my friend, Mr.
Garak.
Charmed.
Your invitation, Mr.
Merriweather.
I don't have one.
Dr.
Noah does not like unexpected guests.
Oh, I believe Dr.
Noah would be very interested in meeting my husband.
He's one of the leading geologists in the world.
Now, why would that interest Dr.
Noah? Oh, we believe he's taken quite an interest in the sciences.
After all, he has invited several of the world's top scientists to this club.
Isn't that true? I must say, I feel a little insulted by being left out of such an illustrious group.
How unfortunate.
Of course a meeting still can be arranged for a price.
Oh? Five million francs.
No problem.
I do not understand.
Where's the rest of your money? Right in front of you.
Shall we begin? A Cardassian separatist group calling themselves "The True Way" has claimed responsibility for sabotaging the runabout.
Ever heard of them before? Mmm.
They're opposed to the peace treaty.
They blame the Federation for Cardassia's economic and political troubles, et cetera, et cetera.
Until now, they've never committed any terrorist actions to support their beliefs.
What have you found? From what we can tell, Quark was right.
The computer has stored the neural energy patterns of everyone on the runabout throughout the entire station.
Don't everyone thank me at once.
What we need to do is reintegrate their neural patterns with their physical patterns from the holosuite and rematerialize them.
I say we use the Defiant.
Its power systems and computers are independent of the station and it has its own transporter.
Sounds good, except Except what? Well, my equipment isn't designed to interface with Starfleet systems.
I may have to make some modifications.
Card.
Nine.
Five million francs.
You're quite a baccarat player, Mr.
Merriweather.
Baccarat and geology are my life.
Now then Mr.
Duchamps, I believe I've met your conditions.
When do we leave? Right now.
Another decorator's nightmare.
This era had a distinct lack of taste.
Where are we? Welcome to paradise, Mr.
Merriweather.
I believe you've been looking for me.
My name is Hippocrates Noah.
Mr.
Merriweather I understand your field is geology.
That's right.
Then I am sure you can appreciate the stones in my most recent acquisition.
A most striking display of rubies tourmaline sapphire topaz and judging by the high chromium content of the rubies, I'd say they come from the hydrothermal deposits on the Tibetan plateau which isn't surprising considering we're on the southeastern slope of Mt.
Everest at about You must not get many tourists.
My guests and I place a premium on our privacy.
We don't want any unwelcomed guests such as men sent by governments who disagree with my political philosophy.
And what is your philosophy? Are you some kind of anarchist? Quite the opposite.
I believe in an orderly world a far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today.
We are building a new future here.
A new beginning for mankind.
A new chapter in human history will open right here on my island.
Island? Forgive me.
Sometimes I do get ahead of myself.
Allow me to explain.
We're almost ready.
I've programmed the laser sequence and I'm making some last-minute adjustments to a South American site.
I do have every confidence in you, my dear.
She's working with him.
You see, Mr.
Merriweather not only do I intend to create a new future I intend to create a new world.
At each one of these points I have hidden a new form of laser-- one that can penetrate the Earth's crust down into the mantle itself.
The global earthquakes.
Those were only tests.
Soon, I will activate all of these lasers together and when I do, they will produce worldwide earthquakes the likes of which we have never felt before.
Killing everyone on the planet.
More than that.
There comes a time when a house has been so damaged by termites that you must not only kill the termites, but demolish the house and build again.
The quakes are only a minor side effect.
The real goal of this project is to have these lasers of mine produce massive fissures in the Earth's crust releasing millions of tons of molten lava.
Now, Mr.
Merriweather, you're the geologist.
Tell me, what happens next? Once that much lava is released the tectonic plates would begin to settle.
And the surface of the planet will shrink just like letting air out of a balloon.
But if the surface of the Earth shrinks the oceans Will cover the Earth.
Diabolical.
Visionary.
I am going to let mankind begin anew here on this island paradise.
The only place that will remain above water on my brave new world.
And that is why I have gathered the finest minds, the very best that mankind has to offer.
We will repopulate and start a new human race.
Pity you won't be able to join us.
Are you revoking my invitation? Oh, I intend to do more than that Mr.
Bashir.
Not only have I brought the greatest minds to my mountain retreat but I have also hired the greatest protection that money can buy.
I believe you already know my newest employee.
Is all this really necessary? It's the best I can do.
How long until we're ready to try retrieving their patterns? I'd say another hour.
O'Brien's going to kill me when he gets back.
This is one of 74 lasers that I've deployed around the world.
When I throw that switch it will begin a five-minute countdown that even I can't stop.
And once the laser fires, the whole cave will be filled with molten lava.
Where's Colonel Komananov? She's a spirited individual-- young healthy.
We'll need women like her to help propagate the second human race.
Try to stay cool, Mr.
Bashir.
So what do we do now? I'm thinking.
Think faster.
I don't know if I've made this explicit to you or not, Doctor but I really don't want to die chained to a 20th-century laser.
I think it's time to end this program.
We can't do that.
We'd wipe out the patterns of Sisko and the others.
Then may I suggest calling Commander Eddington and having him send someone in here to remove these handcuffs? You heard what Odo said-- we don't know what'll happen if we interrupt the holo-imaging array by calling for the doors.
The entire program might collapse and kill them all.
Well, I only know one thing for sure, Doctor that when the molten lava begins pouring into this cave you and I are going to be very uncomfortable.
Who's that? It's our ticket out of here.
What a waste that no one can see what a beautiful woman you are.
Is that your plan? Shut up.
Noah only wants you for your mind.
He can't appreciate the woman inside you.
Honey, would you grant me one last request and take off those glasses? Oh Like this? Yes.
You know your hair would look so much better if it were free.
I must say, Doctor this is more than I ever wanted to know about your fantasy life.
There that's the last thing I want to remember before I die.
Thank you.
I'd give you both some privacy if I could.
Great plan.
Now can we call Eddington? That will not be necessary.
Honey has given me all we need.
Hmm-- kiss the girl, get the key.
They never taught me that in the Obsidian Order.
Come on! We have to get to the control room.
What?! If this program ends like the others either Komananov or Honey Bare will be killed by Dr.
Noah.
The other's supposed to end up with me.
In either case we have to make sure that both of them survive.
You expect to take on Noah and his men with that? It's my fantasy.
Trust me.
No! This has gone far enough.
It's time to cut our losses.
We can't do that.
Kira or Dax might Yes, they might be killed, and that is unfortunate but there comes a time when the odds are against you and the only reasonable course of action is to quit.
Quit? Yes! Is that what they taught you at the Obsidian Order? To give up when things get tough? As a matter of fact, they did.
That's why I've managed to stay alive while most of my colleagues are dead because I know when to walk away and that time is now.
Now! And you'd know that, Doctor, if you were a real intelligence agent.
Oh, so that's what this is all about.
The fact that my fantasy happens to step on what you consider to be your private domain.
Well, what's the matter, Garak? Have I bruised your ego by playacting at something you take so very seriously? That's something else you've yet to learn, Doctor.
A real intelligence agent has no ego, no conscience, no remorse-- only a sense of professionalism and mine is telling me that it's time to go.
Computer! Don't! Or what? You'll kill me? If you call for the exit you might kill Sisko and the others and I am not prepared to risk that.
I'm afraid I don't believe you'll pull that trigger.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
It's time to face reality, Doctor.
You're a man who dreams of being a hero because you know, deep down, that you're not.
I'm no hero either but I do know how to make a choice and I'm choosing to save myself.
Computer show me the mechanism Oh! You'll be fine.
It's just a flesh wound.
That was awfully close.
What if you'd killed me? What makes you think I wasn't trying? Doctor, I do believe there's hope for you yet.
I'm so relieved.
Now we have to get to the control room.
Are you coming or not? Well, who am I to question Julian Bashir, secret agent? Lead on.
Everybody stay where you are.
Julian.
Your weapon, Dr.
Noah.
This is your doing.
You let them go.
I'm sorry, Doctor.
Julian, you are just in time.
He was about to activate the final sequence of the lasers.
Kill him, Julian.
Not this time, Ana.
Well, then I will.
No! What are you doing? Making a mistake.
Thank you, Mr.
Duchamps.
Eddington to Bashir.
We're going to try rematerializing their patterns in about two minutes.
Understood.
And what is it you understand, Mr.
Bashir? That you should have killed me when you had the chance? I agree.
But, then again, I suppose it wouldn't be very heroic.
I, on the other hand have no pretensions about the idea of being a hero.
Wait! Maybe I'm tired of being a hero.
Maybe I've thought over what you've said and decided that you're absolutely right.
About what? Everything-- the decadence of the world, the need for order.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that your way may be the only way.
Ha! You expect me to believe that? You are Julian Bashir a man who has spent his entire life dedicated to fighting against Yes! But that's all about to end now, isn't it? You're going to destroy this world and start a new one.
What's the use of me continuing to defend a doomed planet? Can you see the sense in that? -No.
-No.
I'm an intelligence agent and if there's any one thing I've learned it is that there comes a point when the odds are against you and there is no reasonable course of action but to quit.
How do you think I've managed to stay alive so long when all of my compatriots are dead? It is because I have known when to walk away.
Rom to Ops.
I'm ready.
You can start transferring the neural energy to the Defiant.
Acknowledged.
Beginning data transfer.
You make a very interesting argument, Mr.
Bashir.
But I'm afraid I've been looking forward to killing you for a long time.
You need to move beyond that.
You need to start thinking about your new world order.
You may even need someone like me.
If you think that by going over there you are going to destroy my control console you are wasting your time.
I don't intend to destroy your console, Doctor.
I intend to use it.
You've just activated the final laser sequence.
You've destroyed the world.
Data transfer complete.
I am reestablishing computer control over the station.
It's working just as you planned.
You've done it, Doctor.
Yes.
But somehow, I didn't expect to win.
I suppose the only thing left to do now is to kill you.
What happened, Commander? What did you do to my ship? It's going to take some explaining.
Eddington to Bashir.
We've got them, Doctor.
You can leave the holosuite now.
Thank you.
Interesting.
You saved the day by destroying the world.
I bet they didn't teach you that at the Obsidian Order.
No, no, there was a great deal they didn't teach me.
Like the value of a good game of chance or how indulging in fantasy keeps the mind creative.
Lunch tomorrow? Of course.
But why don't we have it at your place in Hong Kong.
Unless, of course, this was your last mission.
Oh, I think it's safe to say that Julian Bashir, secret agent, will return.
Hmm
Thank you, Mister? Mister? Bashir.
Julian Bashir.
Who's that? An uninvited guest.
Excuse me.
Nice tux.
Thank you.
Now get out.
But, Doctor, I've only just arrived.
Breaking into a holosuite during someone's program is not only rude, it's illegal.
I should call Odo and have you arrested.
What an extreme reaction that would be.
You must be very embarrassed by this program.
I'm not embarrassed.
I'm annoyed that you have intruded into my privacy.
Oh, privacy, indeed.
I think it goes far deeper than that, Doctor.
Ever since you've received this new program, you've spent virtually every free hour in the holosuite.
But you haven't told anyone what the program is.
Am I supposed to? No, no.
No.
But you're such a-- forgive me-- a talkative man and it's so unusual for you to have secrets.
I must have picked up that habit from you.
Now, if you will excuse me.
Is this fantasy of yours truly revealing of your inner psyche? What? Is that why you're so protective? Are you afraid that I'll find out some humiliating secrets of the real Julian Bashir? This is a fantasy.
I'm not hiding anything.
Well, if you've nothing to hide, then why not let me stay? -All right.
-Ah.
Now, I have to be at work in two hours, and I'd like to enjoy myself.
So keep quiet and don't rain on my parade.
Parade?! Never mind.
Don't worry, Doctor.
I can be very discreet.
You'll barely know I'm here.
Good.
But if I may make one observation -Garak -I only want to point out that your lovely companion is leaving.
Odd.
She seemed so interested in your advances just a moment ago.
I wonder what scared her away.
Oh, no.
I do apologize.
You must be incensed.
In fact, if I were in your shoes I'd grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me.
I can see I'm going to regret this.
Don't worry, Doctor.
We're going to have a wonderful time.
After all, what could possibly go wrong? You live here? That's right.
Decorate it yourself? The decor is appropriate for the period-- 1964.
How did you pronounce the name of this city? Kowloon.
It's part of Hong Kong.
And the nightclub was in Paris which, if I remember correctly was on the other side of the planet.
Mr.
Bashir I didn't expect you home so soon.
I decided to leave Paris a little early.
Allow me to introduce my friend, Mr.
Garak.
Garak, this is my personal valet, Mona Luvsitt.
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Would you like to change into something more comfortable? Oh, that would be perfect.
Let's see if we can find Mr.
Garak something as well.
I'll see what I can do.
Would you like me to put this away? Please.
Care for a drink? Not just yet.
Is she your valet, or your personal assassin? Valet.
Mona's very capable.
She speaks seven languages has degrees in biology, chemistry, physics can fly anything from a jet to a helicopter and makes an excellent martini.
Cheers.
Is there anything else I can do for you? I'll let you know.
I take it your character is some kind of rich dilettante with a fascination for women and weapons.
Actually, my character is far more disreputable.
I'm a spy.
A spy? And you live here? Yes.
I work for one of the nation-states of this era, Great Britain which is battling various other nations in what is called the "Cold War.
" This apartment, my clothes, weapons, even my valet were provided to me by my government.
I think I joined the wrong intelligence service.
Orinoco to Deep Space 9.
This is Captain Sisko requesting landing clearance.
Welcome back, Captain.
You're cleared to set down on Landing Pad 3.
How was the conference? Informative, but I've got a ship full of tired officers here.
I think we'll all be happy to be in our own beds tonight.
I can imagine.
There's some message traffic from Starfleet Command for you to look at, but nothing Captain, there's some kind of power surge in the warp core.
Looks like a fluctuation in the plasma coils.
We'd better take the warp core off line.
I can't.
There's something wrong with the command control systems.
I'm completely locked out.
Magnetic interlocks are failing.
Warp core breach is imminent.
Eject the warp core.
The ejection system isn't responding.
Correction.
The ejection system is missing.
We've been sabotaged.
Ten seconds to warp core breach.
Orinoco, cut your impulse engines and drop your deflectors.
We're going to try to beam you out of there.
Acknowledged.
Cut main power.
I've locked on.
Energizing.
What happened? Captain Sisko's runabout exploded while I was trying to beam them back.
Some of the energy traveled back along the transporter beam and blew up the primary energizing coils.
Do we still have their patterns? Yes, they're in the buffer.
But the patterns will start to degrade if not used immediately.
We need to store the patterns somewhere.
No, this is more complicated than just an ordinary transporter pattern.
We're going to have to preserve all the neural signatures of everyone on that runabout.
Do you know how much memory it would take to save just one person's neural signature, much less five? I don't think we have any choice.
Computer, I need to store all data currently in the transporter pattern buffer.
Where can I save it? There is insufficient computer memory to save the data.
Pattern buffer is beginning to lose coherence.
The patterns will start to degrade any second now.
Computer, what if we wiped all computer memory in every system on the station, and then stored the patterns? That procedure has not been tested.
It cannot be predicted.
The buffer is depolarizing.
Computer, this is a command priority override.
Wipe all computer memory necessary in order to save the patterns from the buffer.
Authorization: Eddington- zero-six-five-alpha enabled.
Executing command override.
Tricorder.
The buffer's lost coherence.
The patterns are gone.
Did the computer save them in time? I think so, but I'm not sure where.
Thank you, my dear.
Yes, this should do nicely.
Although I'm not too sure about the collar.
It's perfect.
Oh? I'll have these cleaned right away.
Thank you.
Isn't this a rather ostentatious life for a spy? It's all part of my cover.
I'm posing as a wealthy jet-setter so I have to act like one.
Jet-setter? People of this era used to travel in Julian.
I must have fallen asleep.
Very funny.
Who else did you invite along with you today? Well, this wasn't my idea.
Major? Colonel, actually.
Colonel Anastasia Komananov, KGB.
Oh, Julian, I never thought I'd see you alive again.
Not after you fell out of that dirigible over lceland.
I had a parachute and there was a submarine there waiting for me.
But how did you know about that? Have you been downloading my holosuite program? Oh, Julian, you are not well.
Let's lie down.
I must say Major Kira's certainly throwing herself into the role, Doctor.
Nerys, please Who is this Major Nerys Kira? Kira Nerys, actually.
Perhaps this isn't Major Kira after all.
I'm beginning to think you're right.
Computer, restore the image of Colonel Komananov back to its original parameters.
Unable to comply.
The character parameters of Colonel Komananov are correct.
I'd say someone's been tampering with your program, Doctor.
Julian, we don't have time for games.
There is much to talk about.
Excuse me.
Computer, freeze program.
Unable to comply.
Computer control has been disrupted due to station-wide emergency.
Emergency? Bashir to Ops.
What's going on? We've got our hands full right now, Doctor.
Stand by.
Odo, wait.
Doctor, where are you and do you have access to a working computer console? I'm in Holosuite 3.
The program's running, but it won't comply with my commands.
The program is still running? I demand to know who you are talking to.
Julian, tell me! That sounded like Kira.
Not exactly.
Someone has replaced one of the characters with the image of Major Kira.
What's going on? Stay where you are, Doctor.
Keep the program running for now.
We'll get right back to you.
Julian, talk to me.
Tell me what is happening.
I'm not sure myself.
Ops to Bashir.
Doctor, whatever you do, don't end that program.
Why not? There's been a transporter accident.
We believe the holosuite memory core is holding the transporter patterns of five crew members.
If you stop the program, their patterns might be lost.
How could that happen? It's a long story but, at this moment, the patterns of Captain Sisko, Kira, Worf, Dax and O'Brien exist only in the holosuite database.
Don't leave the holosuite.
If you do, it might disrupt the holo-imaging array and right now, we can't take any chances.
You'll have to stay in there and keep the program running for now.
Understood.
We'll get back to you, Doctor.
Oh, Julian you are so tense.
It's been one of those days.
I wish I could relax you but I am here on business.
In the last 24 hours a series of earthquakes have struck cities from Vladivostok to New York.
Our seismologists have analyzed the earthquakes and have come to the conclusion that they are artificial.
So? That's not so difficult.
One only has to Garak.
Your friend seems to know something.
Believe me, he knows nothing.
If you say so.
Because of the global nature of this crisis my government and yours have decided to cooperate.
We will be working very closely.
I'm sure we will.
Our assignment is to find out who caused the earthquakes and what they want.
A rather vague assignment.
We do have one clue.
One of the world's leading seismologists Professor Honey Bare, has vanished.
We believe she has been kidnapped.
I didn't think she was your type.
You said she's been kidnapped? We think so.
She disappeared only a few hours before the first quake struck New York City.
Doctor, we're in the middle of an emergency.
Is this really the time to be playing games? Look.
Interesting.
If Honey Bare is killed, the computer will erase her character from its program.
Now, since the program thinks that Dax is Honey Bare The computer would actually be erasing Commander Dax's pattern.
Kira uh, Ana do you have any idea where Professor Bare is? She was last seen I'll be right with you, Mona.
Chief No.
It's Falcon.
Nice to see you, Mr.
Bashir.
Now I think we have a little unfinished business.
Surprised to see me, Mr.
Bashir? You could say that.
Well, you should use something a little more lethal than a champagne cork.
Something Iike this.
Wait.
Wait, please.
Let us have one last kiss.
Why not? I've always been a romantic at heart.
Earring.
All right, Bashir, that's enough.
Interesting jewelry.
I bought those for Anastasia last Christmas.
You're bleeding.
The holosuite safeties must be off.
Time to clip this bird's wings.
No! Nyet! What are you doing? We can't kill him.
Julian, what are you saying? He's been trying to kill you for nine years.
I wouldn't dismiss her idea so quickly, Doctor.
But that's Miles.
No, as you pointed out, he's Falcon-- a hired assassin who's going to do everything he can to kill you and without the holosuite safeties in place he may just do that.
Well, what do you want me to do-- kill him? I want you to stop treating this like a game where everything's going to turn out all right in the end.
Real spies have to make hard choices.
You want to save Dax? Fine, but you may not have the luxury of saving everyone.
Who is Dax? Eventually, you may have to let someone die.
I'll deal with that situation if and when it happens.
In the meantime, we have to find Dax.
Who is Dax? Ana, I promise I'll explain everything later.
Now, you said Professor Bare had been kidnapped.
Do you have any suspects? We believe that Dr.
Noah is behind the abductions.
During the last two years, he has kidnapped an elite group of 60 artisans and scientists from around the world.
No one knows why or where he has taken them but our sources tell us that each of the missing peoples was invited to meet Dr.
Noah at a club in Paris shortly before they disappeared.
The Club lngenue.
Da.
I had a feeling.
Sorry, my dear.
I hope you remember how to tie a bow tie.
We're going to Paris.
Who is Dax?! I've had to make a few modifications to this holosuite over the years.
A few? It's like a junkyard in here.
My brother won't let me buy new components so I've had to scavenge for what I need.
I'm barely breaking even on the holosuites as it is.
If I had to buy new equipment every time there was a glitch Where's the core memory interface? Oh it's right behind the spatula.
The spatula? It's made of a copper-ytterbium composite-- the perfect plasma conductor.
I found them.
All five of their physical patterns are in here and they're stable.
Why here? The holosuite is specifically designed to store highly complex energy patterns.
The computer's processing their physical patterns as if they were holosuite characters.
The trouble is I'm not reading any neural energy.
Neural energy has to be stored at the quantum level.
The holosuite can't handle that.
So, if their physical bodies are stored here where are their brain patterns? Everywhere else.
Their brain patterns are so large that they're taking up every bit of computer memory on the station-- replicator memory, weapons, life supports.
He may be right.
So what do we do about it? How do we get them back? Uh, I'd like to see Dr.
Noah.
I have an invitation.
May I see your invitation? Dr.
Noah? I am Duchamps.
I am Dr.
Noah's associate.
May l? My name's Merriweather-- Patrick Merriweather, and this is my wife Anastasia, and my friend, Mr.
Garak.
Charmed.
Your invitation, Mr.
Merriweather.
I don't have one.
Dr.
Noah does not like unexpected guests.
Oh, I believe Dr.
Noah would be very interested in meeting my husband.
He's one of the leading geologists in the world.
Now, why would that interest Dr.
Noah? Oh, we believe he's taken quite an interest in the sciences.
After all, he has invited several of the world's top scientists to this club.
Isn't that true? I must say, I feel a little insulted by being left out of such an illustrious group.
How unfortunate.
Of course a meeting still can be arranged for a price.
Oh? Five million francs.
No problem.
I do not understand.
Where's the rest of your money? Right in front of you.
Shall we begin? A Cardassian separatist group calling themselves "The True Way" has claimed responsibility for sabotaging the runabout.
Ever heard of them before? Mmm.
They're opposed to the peace treaty.
They blame the Federation for Cardassia's economic and political troubles, et cetera, et cetera.
Until now, they've never committed any terrorist actions to support their beliefs.
What have you found? From what we can tell, Quark was right.
The computer has stored the neural energy patterns of everyone on the runabout throughout the entire station.
Don't everyone thank me at once.
What we need to do is reintegrate their neural patterns with their physical patterns from the holosuite and rematerialize them.
I say we use the Defiant.
Its power systems and computers are independent of the station and it has its own transporter.
Sounds good, except Except what? Well, my equipment isn't designed to interface with Starfleet systems.
I may have to make some modifications.
Card.
Nine.
Five million francs.
You're quite a baccarat player, Mr.
Merriweather.
Baccarat and geology are my life.
Now then Mr.
Duchamps, I believe I've met your conditions.
When do we leave? Right now.
Another decorator's nightmare.
This era had a distinct lack of taste.
Where are we? Welcome to paradise, Mr.
Merriweather.
I believe you've been looking for me.
My name is Hippocrates Noah.
Mr.
Merriweather I understand your field is geology.
That's right.
Then I am sure you can appreciate the stones in my most recent acquisition.
A most striking display of rubies tourmaline sapphire topaz and judging by the high chromium content of the rubies, I'd say they come from the hydrothermal deposits on the Tibetan plateau which isn't surprising considering we're on the southeastern slope of Mt.
Everest at about You must not get many tourists.
My guests and I place a premium on our privacy.
We don't want any unwelcomed guests such as men sent by governments who disagree with my political philosophy.
And what is your philosophy? Are you some kind of anarchist? Quite the opposite.
I believe in an orderly world a far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today.
We are building a new future here.
A new beginning for mankind.
A new chapter in human history will open right here on my island.
Island? Forgive me.
Sometimes I do get ahead of myself.
Allow me to explain.
We're almost ready.
I've programmed the laser sequence and I'm making some last-minute adjustments to a South American site.
I do have every confidence in you, my dear.
She's working with him.
You see, Mr.
Merriweather not only do I intend to create a new future I intend to create a new world.
At each one of these points I have hidden a new form of laser-- one that can penetrate the Earth's crust down into the mantle itself.
The global earthquakes.
Those were only tests.
Soon, I will activate all of these lasers together and when I do, they will produce worldwide earthquakes the likes of which we have never felt before.
Killing everyone on the planet.
More than that.
There comes a time when a house has been so damaged by termites that you must not only kill the termites, but demolish the house and build again.
The quakes are only a minor side effect.
The real goal of this project is to have these lasers of mine produce massive fissures in the Earth's crust releasing millions of tons of molten lava.
Now, Mr.
Merriweather, you're the geologist.
Tell me, what happens next? Once that much lava is released the tectonic plates would begin to settle.
And the surface of the planet will shrink just like letting air out of a balloon.
But if the surface of the Earth shrinks the oceans Will cover the Earth.
Diabolical.
Visionary.
I am going to let mankind begin anew here on this island paradise.
The only place that will remain above water on my brave new world.
And that is why I have gathered the finest minds, the very best that mankind has to offer.
We will repopulate and start a new human race.
Pity you won't be able to join us.
Are you revoking my invitation? Oh, I intend to do more than that Mr.
Bashir.
Not only have I brought the greatest minds to my mountain retreat but I have also hired the greatest protection that money can buy.
I believe you already know my newest employee.
Is all this really necessary? It's the best I can do.
How long until we're ready to try retrieving their patterns? I'd say another hour.
O'Brien's going to kill me when he gets back.
This is one of 74 lasers that I've deployed around the world.
When I throw that switch it will begin a five-minute countdown that even I can't stop.
And once the laser fires, the whole cave will be filled with molten lava.
Where's Colonel Komananov? She's a spirited individual-- young healthy.
We'll need women like her to help propagate the second human race.
Try to stay cool, Mr.
Bashir.
So what do we do now? I'm thinking.
Think faster.
I don't know if I've made this explicit to you or not, Doctor but I really don't want to die chained to a 20th-century laser.
I think it's time to end this program.
We can't do that.
We'd wipe out the patterns of Sisko and the others.
Then may I suggest calling Commander Eddington and having him send someone in here to remove these handcuffs? You heard what Odo said-- we don't know what'll happen if we interrupt the holo-imaging array by calling for the doors.
The entire program might collapse and kill them all.
Well, I only know one thing for sure, Doctor that when the molten lava begins pouring into this cave you and I are going to be very uncomfortable.
Who's that? It's our ticket out of here.
What a waste that no one can see what a beautiful woman you are.
Is that your plan? Shut up.
Noah only wants you for your mind.
He can't appreciate the woman inside you.
Honey, would you grant me one last request and take off those glasses? Oh Like this? Yes.
You know your hair would look so much better if it were free.
I must say, Doctor this is more than I ever wanted to know about your fantasy life.
There that's the last thing I want to remember before I die.
Thank you.
I'd give you both some privacy if I could.
Great plan.
Now can we call Eddington? That will not be necessary.
Honey has given me all we need.
Hmm-- kiss the girl, get the key.
They never taught me that in the Obsidian Order.
Come on! We have to get to the control room.
What?! If this program ends like the others either Komananov or Honey Bare will be killed by Dr.
Noah.
The other's supposed to end up with me.
In either case we have to make sure that both of them survive.
You expect to take on Noah and his men with that? It's my fantasy.
Trust me.
No! This has gone far enough.
It's time to cut our losses.
We can't do that.
Kira or Dax might Yes, they might be killed, and that is unfortunate but there comes a time when the odds are against you and the only reasonable course of action is to quit.
Quit? Yes! Is that what they taught you at the Obsidian Order? To give up when things get tough? As a matter of fact, they did.
That's why I've managed to stay alive while most of my colleagues are dead because I know when to walk away and that time is now.
Now! And you'd know that, Doctor, if you were a real intelligence agent.
Oh, so that's what this is all about.
The fact that my fantasy happens to step on what you consider to be your private domain.
Well, what's the matter, Garak? Have I bruised your ego by playacting at something you take so very seriously? That's something else you've yet to learn, Doctor.
A real intelligence agent has no ego, no conscience, no remorse-- only a sense of professionalism and mine is telling me that it's time to go.
Computer! Don't! Or what? You'll kill me? If you call for the exit you might kill Sisko and the others and I am not prepared to risk that.
I'm afraid I don't believe you'll pull that trigger.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
It's time to face reality, Doctor.
You're a man who dreams of being a hero because you know, deep down, that you're not.
I'm no hero either but I do know how to make a choice and I'm choosing to save myself.
Computer show me the mechanism Oh! You'll be fine.
It's just a flesh wound.
That was awfully close.
What if you'd killed me? What makes you think I wasn't trying? Doctor, I do believe there's hope for you yet.
I'm so relieved.
Now we have to get to the control room.
Are you coming or not? Well, who am I to question Julian Bashir, secret agent? Lead on.
Everybody stay where you are.
Julian.
Your weapon, Dr.
Noah.
This is your doing.
You let them go.
I'm sorry, Doctor.
Julian, you are just in time.
He was about to activate the final sequence of the lasers.
Kill him, Julian.
Not this time, Ana.
Well, then I will.
No! What are you doing? Making a mistake.
Thank you, Mr.
Duchamps.
Eddington to Bashir.
We're going to try rematerializing their patterns in about two minutes.
Understood.
And what is it you understand, Mr.
Bashir? That you should have killed me when you had the chance? I agree.
But, then again, I suppose it wouldn't be very heroic.
I, on the other hand have no pretensions about the idea of being a hero.
Wait! Maybe I'm tired of being a hero.
Maybe I've thought over what you've said and decided that you're absolutely right.
About what? Everything-- the decadence of the world, the need for order.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that your way may be the only way.
Ha! You expect me to believe that? You are Julian Bashir a man who has spent his entire life dedicated to fighting against Yes! But that's all about to end now, isn't it? You're going to destroy this world and start a new one.
What's the use of me continuing to defend a doomed planet? Can you see the sense in that? -No.
-No.
I'm an intelligence agent and if there's any one thing I've learned it is that there comes a point when the odds are against you and there is no reasonable course of action but to quit.
How do you think I've managed to stay alive so long when all of my compatriots are dead? It is because I have known when to walk away.
Rom to Ops.
I'm ready.
You can start transferring the neural energy to the Defiant.
Acknowledged.
Beginning data transfer.
You make a very interesting argument, Mr.
Bashir.
But I'm afraid I've been looking forward to killing you for a long time.
You need to move beyond that.
You need to start thinking about your new world order.
You may even need someone like me.
If you think that by going over there you are going to destroy my control console you are wasting your time.
I don't intend to destroy your console, Doctor.
I intend to use it.
You've just activated the final laser sequence.
You've destroyed the world.
Data transfer complete.
I am reestablishing computer control over the station.
It's working just as you planned.
You've done it, Doctor.
Yes.
But somehow, I didn't expect to win.
I suppose the only thing left to do now is to kill you.
What happened, Commander? What did you do to my ship? It's going to take some explaining.
Eddington to Bashir.
We've got them, Doctor.
You can leave the holosuite now.
Thank you.
Interesting.
You saved the day by destroying the world.
I bet they didn't teach you that at the Obsidian Order.
No, no, there was a great deal they didn't teach me.
Like the value of a good game of chance or how indulging in fantasy keeps the mind creative.
Lunch tomorrow? Of course.
But why don't we have it at your place in Hong Kong.
Unless, of course, this was your last mission.
Oh, I think it's safe to say that Julian Bashir, secret agent, will return.
Hmm